St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-18
Lead City Something Of an AnomaI---
Without Organization, But Gets
There Just the Same.
Deadwo0d Bound to Have Railroad and
Willing to Pay for It in City
49,
Bonds, Etc.
Lead City T0wn-Lot Tides in an Uncer-
tain Condition---AlI the Land
Is Mineral.
More Activity in Mining Property
Doings Of the Smelters---The Elk
horn Railway Line.

Special CORRESPONDENCE of the Globe.
DEADWOoD, OAK, June 16.-Dead-
wood is bound to have railroad, and is
willing to pay for it in city bonds OF
right of way, depot lots, etc. The ques-
ton raised is how to make the raise.
The question of title is likely to come
up in either case. Much of the land on
which the town is built belongs to the
owners of certain placer mining claims
that ante-date the town-site claim.
Years of litigation resulted last
winter in the confirming of the
miners titles to the surface as well as
the minerals, and carried with it of
course all the improvements that had
been put on by the occupants. Since
then the latter have in some cases COM
promised with the claimants and bought
again their lots and buildings, but in
many cases the exorbitant demands of
the claimants have prohibited settle.
.mentS. In some cases the occupants
have relinquished possession and sur
rendered improvements rather than pay
the demands. Another
COMPLICATION OF TITLES
grows out of conflicting claims under
deeds from the probate judge of the
county, in whom the toWn-Site titles
vested as trustee. He made deeds
without proper surveys and plats, and
the consequence is the same lot covered
two or three deep with deeds to
different parties in some cases, and
much confusion otherwise. In such
cases as are referred to priority of deeds
might decide but for the farther com
pllcatiOn that some of the deeds are said
to have been obtained by false repre-
sensations as to Improvements, deScrip-
tons, ETC., and are therefor voidable
by law suit. The school board. to
which would revert these lots,
if forfeited, are urged to begin suits for
thezpossession. How. far these clouds
. on the titles of. Deadweod property may
Interfere with its .ereditto secure a4aii-
road remains TO. be tested: they have Sc
IsiouSly interfered with her prospects III
other ways. But that. will not defeat
thedeterlnination of the people to have
railroad connection direct. Their dele
CATION sent to confer with the railroad
authorities at Fremont last week Sc
cured encouraging assurances, the exact
valueof which will be better known
after the survey that the railroad people
have promised to speedily make into the
town.
r
are in as uncertain a condition as those
of DeadWood. Every foot of the ground
on which Lead City stands is mineral
4land., Most of it the Homestake, CONF.
epany owns by patent; all has at some
time been entered as quartz or placer.
The chain of title to every lot runs back
to nothing more binding than squat
ter's right, protected by the mining Gus
toms there anent. All any one has to
do now to get a building lot is to take it
from any unoccupied land in or about
the place; and there is just now, under
expectation OF narrow-guage rail-
road connection with Rapid City,
a rush of local land-grabberS
stalking out and fencing in pieces of size
to suit their own aspirations and expec-
tationS of future growth of the town.
The land about is gridironed to the tops
of the mountains ami for two miles out
with new fencing. The title to lots
thus acquired after Henry Georges own
theory is quite as defensible as those of
any of the city lots upon which costly
residences and brick stores stand. The
Homestake,o or any other party holding a
claim Hereunder, can at any time take
possession of lands and improvements
under United States statutes
to building lots in mining districts. The
statutes recognize and the land depart
ment grants titles of both kinds, but
does not provide any way to avoid such
conflicts as exist in several towns in the
Black Hills. The rulings, however.
give preference to mining claims. 1t
seems as if humanity had claims, too.
even in a gold.-belt, and government
ought to provide way to make titles to
homes and cities on mineral lands.
a QUEER CITY.
The situation at Lead City is unusual
in other respects than in that of real es-
tate titles. Here is place of say 5000
population, without organization. in
corporation, home government OF local
authority. The schools, courts, street.
health, police, fire regulations are ali
under the control of the county commits
SionerS or are left to private manage
ment. There is a justice of the peace
and a constable; the business men en-
ploy night Waterman. If there is a
drunk and disorderly, the constable.
with the help of the nearest ath-
lete, runs him into an old log
shack that serves as bastile.
taking care to leave the door on the
latch, and when the cooling Off is COM
plete the customer walks out us well
corrected as if a police justice and
roundsman or two had had the picking
of him. Yet, with this lack of ma
chinery, the town is probably the most
orderly and contented of any in the
Hills. No one being in authority per-
haps makes the citizens more self-regu-
lating. The nearest approach there is
to governing head is the superintend-
ent of the Homestake comp any, whose
advice is law in politics, schools and all
local affairs. The company really sup
ports the town, and its employees make
up nine-tenths of the voters A, move
ment was recently inaugurated by some
OF the more enterprising and
ambitious men to get the
city incorporated, but the Homestake
quietly set foot on it and it was heard of
no more. But it must be confessed that
9he authority Of the company is rarely
and delicately used and that its policy
with its men and its attitude towards
the citizens and public enterprises has
much to do with the good order, health
and contentment, and everything to do
with the prosperity of the place. Owing
to the lack of the machinery of local
government, the board of trade has
great influence, and maintains unusual
life and efficiency for such an organize
tion. Lead City really has high repr-
tation for enterprise and public spirit:
she has no government, but ''she gets
there all the same." This case is quot
able one for those who maintain that
mankind is governed too much.
MINING MENTIONS.
There seems to be more activity in
mining property III the central and
else. The purchase of the large placer
nronppty or Hoyvpor,l no,,,S,,,.Ia.,